Copycat Sabra Roasted Red Pepper Hummus

Copycat Sabra Roasted Red Pepper Hummus

My daughter recently declared her love for purchased Sabra Brand Roasted Red Pepper Hummus. I make hummus at home. She likes my hummus. But she liked Sabra's even better. That made me sad. Store bought hummus is a lot more expensive than the homemade kind!

I, too, love Roasted Red Pepper Hummus. Since before she was born! And many times back-in-the-day I had tried to make it - but with no success. Roasted Red Peppers PLUS Hummus - sadly - did not taste like the kind I could buy at the store.

Back then, I did a fair amount of research trying to tweak just the right taste. I finally read about a "secret ingredient" - balsamic vinegar- that worked perfectly to turn my roasted-red-peppers-added-to-hummus into Roasted Red Pepper Hummus! Unfortunately, I don't remember where I found that bit of info - but it was very helpful!

Then, having solved my personal mystery, I had moved on to making other flavors like Smoky and Caper - and had forgotten all about my research project.

Until my daughter reminded me. Years later.

Then, I pulled my research out, and finished the project of creating the perfect Roasted Red Pepper Hummus - just like Sabra's. She acted as my focus group, and let me know when I had it just right!

Now I can go back to my frugal ways of making my own : )

(This is best made in a food processor. I use a Sunbeam Oscar, that I found at the thrift store, but any good brand of machine should work)

Here's the recipe:

Copycat Sabra Roasted Red Pepper Hummus
In food processor, combine
1 (15oz) can Chickpeas, drained
2 Tablespoons Lemon Juice
1 1/2 teaspoons Balsamic Vinegar
1/4 jar Roasted Red Peppers, drained (about 1/4 cup or so - I buy a 10oz jar)
1 teaspoon Salt
2-4 Tablespoons Tahini
1 teaspoon Minced Garlic (I use the jarred kind from the grocery's produce section)

1/4 teaspoon Paprika
Start the Processor, 
Then add Water as needed - usually 1/2 cup makes the right consistency. I add most of the water all at once, the gradually add the last bit to fine-tune the consistency.

Then leave the food processor on to do its work.

The BIG mistake in homemade hummus production is turning off the processor too early. Give it some time. Be patient. Wait for it to become smooth and creamy. Cover your ears ; )

Once it's done, it's ready to enjoy! Or, pop it in the fridge, and serve it chilled later. Hummus normally thickens up a wee bit with refrigeration.

This is perfect to serve with crackers, pretzels, homemade bread, or your favorite veggie dippers. 


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Tandoori Skillet Chicken

Tandoori Chicken Freezer Meal (with Lemon Rice and Peas)

Tandoori Chicken is great to serve with any Indian Meal. When I buy a large package of boneless, skinless chicken breasts, this is one of the Meals that I prepare. Then, when I'm serving Indian Dishes like Dal or a fancy Rice dish, I can easily cook this for the meat eaters in the family.

Since I'm vegetarian, I like having handy dishes like this to prepare for the meat eaters in my family, without having to make an entire second meal.

That way, I just serve a vegetarian meal with an optional side of meat : )

I adapted this from a recipe I found years ago in a cookbook called Miserly Moms

Here's how I make it:

I cut the chicken in slices about 1/4" thick. I use about 2 pounds of chicken (which fills a 1 quart freezer bag). Usually that's 2 large chicken breasts. I don't weigh them, I simply look how many there are in a package, and I check what weight is listed on the package. Usually it's an 8 to 9 pound package, with 8 to 9 breasts inside. If it's a 3 pound package with 6 breasts, I'd use 4 of them for this recipe.

Preparing the meat this way makes it marinate more easily, thaw more easily, and cook more quickly. Besides that, it allows each diner to eat exactly the amount he or she desires, instead of being forced by portion size to take too much or too little.

After I cut the chicken, I pull out a 1 quart bag and label it "Tandoori Chicken."

Then, I measure the marinade directly into the bag:

Tandoori Chicken Marinade
1/2 Cup Plain Yogurt
1/2 teaspoon Paprika
1/2 Tablespoon Curry Powder
1/4 teaspoon Salt
1 teaspoon fresh minced Garlic (I buy the kind in a jar in the produce section)
1 teaspoon fresh Ginger (again, from a squeeze jar from the produce section)

1/2 Tablespoon Lemon Juice

I close the bag, and squish it several times to mix the marinade.

Then, I open the bag again, add the sliced Chicken, re-seal, and toss in the fridge.

Then, that night or the next day, I remove the chicken from the marinade with a fork, and grill it in a lightly oiled, nonstick skillet.

Omnivores will like this with your favorite Raita (Indian Yogurt Sauce).

I like to serve this with any of the following Vegan Dishes:

Indian Chickpeas in Ginger Sauce over Rice
Indian Lemon Rice with Peas 
Indian Mung Beans 
Indian Spiced Blackeye Peas over Rice
Whole Wheat Naan (or White Naan made by the same method from this recipe)
Lemony Dal
Masala Dal

If you like, the dishes in this Indian Vegan Freezer Cooking Plan  (which includes several of the above dishes) all go nicely with this Tandoori Chicken : )

(Edited March 2021, NOTE: I originally published this as a freezer meal. The first time I tested the recipe in the freezer, it seemed to work fine. In the second trial, though - after I published this - the yogurt's texture changed and it did not work as well. So, I now encourage making this dish within 24 hours of beginning marinade process, and only storing it in the refrigerator)

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Food on Friday - Chicken